The voice of the BlackBerry community.
Our friend RogersDude69 sent us a pic of the Rogers BlackBerry Bold 9700 which is now in stores. A launch date was not included in the press release, but now that the device is in the store, we know it’s only a matter of time.
A closeup of the Rogers Bold 9700 after the jump
QuickLaunch will go down in the BlackBerry app Hall of Fame for being one of the most useful applications to have on your device.
The app creates shortcuts to almost any application on your device, giving you quick and easy access. Set QuickLaunch to one of the convenience keys on your BlackBerry and create shortcuts for all your favorite applications. It’s very simple.
QuickLaunch is on sale today only for $2.49 (regularly $4.99)
Traveling while roaming can lead to some pretty incredible data charges so it’s important to stick to WiFi when possible. It’s fairly easy to get a free WiFi connection jumping between cafes, but places such as the airport are completely devoid of a free connection.
This is where having a Boingo account pays off. The BlackBerry app, which has been in beta, is now officially available from mobile.boingo.com/download. The app allows you to connect to the Boingo network from your smartphone, and use data freely.
You will have to sign up for a mobile account which costs $7.95 ($2 less than the laptop charge). At the moment, the application is only available for the Curve 8900, Curve 8320 and the BlackBerry Bold.
Yesterday, Ontario, Canada passed legislation that stipulates drivers can no longer use their handsets to call, email, SMS or chat. The penalties are around $500 per infraction beginning early next year.
There are a lot of BlackBerry users out there that like to send email and SMS while driving, so what should they do? There are several companies that manufacture hands-free devices, but are these the alternative we should be looking for? There is very little evidence to suggest that these products are actually making drivers safer.
Driving while having a conversation will ultimately distract putting yourself and others in danger. While the hands-free accessory can help keep your eyes on the road, it doesn’t address the issue of reaction times. Reaction times will always be diminished when someone is having a conversation.
If you’re a driver who is looking for a hands-free accessory, you could choose the BlueAnt Q1, the BlackBerry VM605 or a software solution like Vlingo.
Or, you could just wait until you get to where you’re going.
In the tradition of Hot or Not apps, faceRate gives a 1-10 rating for a face, based on measurements such as distance between the eyes, symmetry of the face etc.
Even though the app can be really harsh, it’s pretty fun to use with friends. All you do is take a picture and align the image as per the app’s specifications. The app will give you a 1 to 10 rating which you can use to compare with friends, or against celebrities such as:
Megan Fox: 9.2
Scarlett Johansson: 9.0
Madonna: 8.7
Lady Gaga: 8.5
Katy Perry: 8.3
Angelina Jolie: 8.3
Brad Pitt: 8.2
Gerard Butler: 8.1
faceRate is available $1.99 until November 1st (regularly $2.99).
I have to say, Verizon made my day/weekend with their official BlackBerry Storm 9530 OS 5.0.0.328 update. While I am not using the latest OS build on a Verizon 9530 (actually TELUS), installing it on any 9530 is very easy.
If you’re a Verizon customer, you can simply grab the update from Verizon and install it like you would any OS. If you’re on another carrier, you have to remember to delete the vendor.xml file, allowing you to use the OS update for your carrier. You will find the XML file at:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader
Click through for more about the latest OS update for the BlackBerry Storm 9530
The DataViz team today launched Documents To Go version 2 for BlackBerry this morning. Some of the new features include desktop synchronization, enhanced PDF support and support password protected 2007 files.
Version 2 of Documents To Go allows you to sync with your desktop using via USB cable. From the application, you can select individual files, or entire folders to synchronize with your computer. DataViz uses a technology called InTact, which maintains your document formatting throughout the sync process.
Also included in the latest version is increased functionality for Adobe PDF files. With the new Docs To Go, you can find and copy text, save as, send file via email, bookmark and more.
The CB Forums have posted the latest update to the BlackBerry Swiss Army Knife (BBSAK) and there are a few improvements that make this worth posting.
BBSAK is a crucial application for any BlackBerry Power User as it gives you greater access to your device. With BBSAK, fixing those 507 errors and wiping your device completely is much easier. Also, the app lets you backup and restore third party applications, which is great for those apps not purchased in App World.
The latest updates include:
Download BlackBerry Swiss Army Knife version 1.7 from RIMGeeks.
Eric Migicovsky is the entrepreneur behind the BlackBerry watch, an accessory that has BlackBerry enthusiasts interested, but also skeptical about whether they would purchase such a device. The watch connects to your BlackBerry via Bluetooth, and notifies you of any incoming messages, calls, alerts etc.
The watch, called the inPulse, will sell for $149 and will include the following features:
Would you purchase such an accessory? It’s a fairly unique idea but it also seems a little redundant with so many other accessories out there. For example, you can use the VM605 for driving, or a strong belt clip for running.
You can preorder an inPulse from their site.
Just before the BlackBerry Storm 9530 was officially launched, Verizon rolled out the official OS 5.0.0.328 for all their Storm users.
The software is a much needed upgrade for 9530 users and it will be great to see it launched across all devices, not just the Storm 2, 9530 and 9700. RIM has officially committed to launching OS 5 other devices (likely only ones launched with 4.7+), before 2010.
Head over to Verizon Wireless to get your official Storm 9530 OS 5.0.0.328.
Read more after the jump to get the OS 5.0.0328 changelog
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